
Justin Langer has resigned as head coach of the Australia men’s team.
The 51-year-old’s contract expired in June and Cricket Australia (CA) said it had turned down a short-term extension.
He returned to the role in 2018 following Australia’s ball-tampering scandal against South Africa, but left after winning the T20 World Cup and The Ashes.
On Friday, temporary England cricket manager Andrew Strauss refused to rule out the possibility of Langer becoming Chris Silverwood’s successor.
Silverwood was sacked as England head coach and head coach on Thursday following the 4-0 loss to Australia in this winter’s Ashes series.
Langer’s management team said his resignation was “effective immediately”, ending months of speculation over whether he would continue as Australia head coach.
Confirming the resignation, Board chief Nick Hockley said: “We are understandably disappointed that Justin has decided not to continue as a coach, but respect his decision and wish him all the best for the future.
“Justin has been an outstanding coach of the Australian men’s team over the past four years. He has restored confidence in the team and his legacy is secure.”
Langer’s manager, James Henderson, earlier tweeted: “As a player, Justin retired after a 5-0 Ashes whitewash. Today, despite the opinions of a few anonymous people, he ends his time as a Australian cricket manager by winning the T20 World Cup and the Ashes. . Let’s not forget what JL took over in 2018.”
Langer replaced Darren Lehmann, who resigned after the ball tampering scandal rocked cricket and also led to captain Steve Smith and vice-captain David Warner being sacked and banned for a year for their roles in controversy, while drummer Cameron Bancroft was suspended for nine months.
Andrew McDonald, who was an assistant coach, was named interim head coach. He is expected to lead the Australian men’s team when they pakistan tour for the first time in 24 years in March.
The teams will play three Tests, three One-Day Internationals and a T20 in Karachi, Rawalpindi and Lahore.
Reaction – ‘A sad day’ as Langer ‘is out’
Reports in Australia have repeatedly suggested that Langer lacks dressing room support, with players unhappy with his leadership style. Langer himself has acknowledged that he can be “intense”, “serious” and “cranky”.
Legendary Australian Test captain Ricky Ponting, a former team-mate of Langer, said: “A very small group of players and – he thinks – a few other staff in the team didn’t entirely like it. the way he went about it.
“It was enough to force a man who put his life, heart and soul into Australian cricket and did what I consider a sensational job… [that] was enough to push him out of his dream job.
“I actually think it’s a really sad day as far as Australian cricket is concerned.”
Another former teammate, Matthew Hayden, told ABC he was “quite emotional” at the start and said “the Australian cricket community loves Justin” because he made them “proud again”.
“He walked into one of the most toxic environments in Australian sport,” Hayden told ABC. “He had been dishonored and dishonored.”
When asked about Langer on Friday, temporary England cricket manager Strauss said: “I know him well and on the surface he has done a very good job with this Australian cricket team so I wouldn’t rule him out. .
“Personally, I think someone with an outside view who can check and challenge thoughts in the dressing room is a healthy thing.”